Hi Eric,try this, it should help some, although when a 6oz. chunk of anything hits the water it's gonna make a splash, just how big, well, that you may be able to control. Right before the bait hits the water, stop the spool with your thumb AND lift the rod high. That will help soften the splash a bit. Important though is to stop the spool FIRST,then lift the rod(high).You are effectively taking the slack out of the line and halting (to a degree) the bait's forward momentum. With a bit of practice on the timing, you should improve the size of the splashdown. BEST OF LUCK!!!! - Alex